Today is the 126th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower's opening. The tower was constructed by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel in 1889 as the entrance arch for the 1889 World's Fair. Although criticized by artists and intellectuals of the time, It soon become a cultural icon for France and the French people. Today, it is the most visited paid monument in the world, receiving, in 2010, its 250 millionth visitor .

Looking through the base of the Eiffel Tower toward the Central Dome of the Palais des industries at the Exposition universelle de 1889

The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

Historical artwork of the French engineer, Eiffel, with his most famous work the Eiffel Tower in the background.

Eiffel Tower and exposition buildings on the Champ de Mars as seen from the Trocadéro Palace, Paris Exposition, 1889